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Dr. Tavakoli’s background is in molecular biology, clinical virology and newborn screening. She oversees the Immunoassay (IA) Laboratory within the NYS Newborn Screening (NBS) Program. The NBS Program screens over 200,000 newborns each year for over…

Copy number variants (CNVs) are frequent and widespread in the human genome and alter dosage of genes important in conditions ranging from HIV susceptibility to autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). Thus, CNVs are potential diagnostic tools for clinical…

Dr. St. George is Director of Virology and Chief of the Laboratory of Viral Diseases (LVD) at the Wadsworth Center, and a Clinical Professor in the Department of Biomedical Sciences, College of Integrated Health Sciences, University at Albany.…

We are interested in understanding the structural basis of macromolecular assemblies in their functional context. The lab utilizes structural imaging methods, in combination with molecular and biochemical approaches, to study the structure and…

Each year the Newborn Screening Program tests approximately 261,000 samples from nearly 225,000 newborns. Each sample is screened for 50 disorders.

Genome replication is a fundamentally important process in all cells and viruses. Mistakes made during replication cause mutations as well as large scale genome rearrangements, which can ultimately cause antibiotic resistance in bacteria as well as…

Dr. Parsons has been investigating how different trace elements can affect human health for more than 40 years. The goal of this research is to provide better insights into what is now called the “exposome”. The CDC, defines the exposome as “the…

Mosquito-borne arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) include several clinically important viruses, such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, West Nile, and chikungunya virus. Since there are no antiviral drugs or safe and effective FDA-approved vaccines…

Dr. Musser is the center’s Chief of Bacterial Diseases overseeing reference identification of bacteria, bacterial meningitis testing, Legionella, tickborne bacterial testing, foodborne bacteriology, mycobacteriology, and antimicrobial resistance…

Newborn screening refers to medical tests, the majority of which are genetic, performed to identify babies with certain disorders, which without intervention, may permanently impact newborns and their families. Early recognition and treatment of…

Educational opportunities exist at the Wadsworth Center at all levels from undergraduate to postgraduate.Undergraduate students may volunteer or participate in the NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates which takes place each summer.…

University at Albany College of Integrated Health SciencesThe University at Albany College of Integrated Health Sciences is a joint venture between the Department of Health and the University at Albany.Wadsworth scientists serve as faculty in the…

The mission of the Wadsworth Center Fellowship Program is to provide scientists with broad experience in laboratory science and research in infectious disease, genetics, environmental health or translational medicine. Fellowship opportunities are…

The Wadsworth Center continues to partner with the Association of Public Health Laboratories (APHL) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to train and prepare the next generation of scientists for careers in public health.…

The Wadsworth Center, a research-intensive public health laboratory affiliated with the New York State Department of Health, provides a unique and dynamic postdoctoral training environment. Basic and applied research programs at Wadsworth…

There are two opportunities that exist for undergraduates looking to gain experience in a laboratory setting:Public Health Lab Academy Volunteers: Students may volunteer in the laboratories for the academic year, the summer break or both. …

2026 Wadsworth Center Public Health Lab AcademyThe Wadsworth Center has partnered with the Association of Public Health Laboratories to host the Public Health Lab Academy! About the Summer ProgramWe plan to host up to 20 paid interns in…

VolunteersStudents and non-students 16 years of age and older may be considered for an unpaid volunteer position in the laboratory any time of year.Consult the Senior Staff and Research Areas pages to identify a specific scientist whose…

Accurate laboratory test results are essential to health assessment and disease or environmental exposure prevention. Wadsworth Center's quality and regulatory oversight programs assure the development and implementation of methods that provide…

The Wadsworth Center places a strong emphasis on basic and applied research to support and enhance its mission in Public Health, as evidenced by a body of work that includes more than 4,000 publications found at PubMed alone.Research is conducted in…